logo
episode-header-image
Feb 2025
35m 27s

Power, purpose, and the American preside...

TED
About this episode

What do the most powerful people in the world do after they've achieved success? Jared Cohen is a history buff and a presidential historian. His latest book, “Life After Power,” is a fascinating exploration about what seven American presidents did after leaving the most influential job in the world. In this episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, Adam and Jared discuss the psychology of the founding fathers, debate the pros and cons of pursuing a legacy, and share what these historic figures can teach us all about pursuing and finding purpose.


Transcripts for ReThinking are available at go.ted.com/RWAGscripts


For more, follow ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you get your podcasts.



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Oct 6
How to strengthen your relationships — one airport ride at a time (w/ Kasley Killam)
How often do you connect with different people each week? How many many close relationships do you aim to cultivate during those connections? And how long do these interactions last? Kasley Killam has the perfect guide to help you build better social connections – the 5-3-1 Rule. ... Show More
34m 34s
Sep 29
How to build your kid's confidence — by leaving them alone (w/ Lenore Skenazy)
How do you raise confident and capable children in a seemingly scary and unsafe world? According to Lenore Skenazy, the solution is simple yet controversial — you leave the kids alone. Lenore is the president of Let Grow and the founder of the Free Range Kids Movement where she a ... Show More
41m 27s
Sep 22
How to talk so people will listen (w/ Julian Treasure)
What’s more important in communication— the content or the delivery? Julian Treasure is a five-time TED speaker and the author of Sound Affects: How Sound Shapes Our Lives, Our Wellbeing and Our Planet, and he argues conscious listening is an invaluable tool for elevating convers ... Show More
38m 34s
Recommended Episodes
Feb 2025
Power, purpose, and the American presidency with Jared Cohen (from ReThinking with Adam Grant)
What do the most powerful people in the world do after they've achieved success? Jared Cohen is a history buff and a presidential historian. His latest book, “Life After Power,” is a fascinating exploration about what seven American presidents did after leaving the most influenti ... Show More
35m 29s
Nov 2023
Adam Grant on Your Potential, Gen Z and — oops — Elon
Are tech bros successful because of some innate talent, or could any of us be like them? Organizational psychologist and Wharton School professor Adam Grant takes on the myth of innate talent and the reality of growth in his latest book, Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving ... Show More
59m 20s
Apr 2025
What Are You Worth in America? (with Michael Sandel)
This is an episode we think you’d enjoy of Stay Tuned with Preet.  Michael Sandel is a professor of political philosophy at Harvard University. He’s also the author of several publications, including his latest, Equality: What It Means and Why It Matters. Sandel joins Preet to di ... Show More
1h 22m
Jun 2024
The Sunday Podcast: Isaac and Ari talk about Project 2025, the latest inflation report, and Ari shares a ghost story.
On today's episode, Ari shares a ghost story, Isaac and Ari talk about Project 2025, the latest inflation report and the partisan views around it, and as always, the Airing of Grievances. You can catch our latest YouTube video, an interview with Alyssa Cass and Pat Rosenstiel, an ... Show More
1h 2m
Jan 2025
Sunday Pick: Sam Altman on the future of AI and humanity | ReThinking with Adam Grant
Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Sam Altman is the CEO and cofounder of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. In this episode of ReThinking with Adam Grant, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, Sam and Ad ... Show More
40m 51s
Feb 2024
Diving Into Life After Power
Jared Cohen is a modern renaissance man: global security expert, leader at some of the nation’s most influential corporations, New York Times best selling author, and … collector of Presidential hair? Yes, we’re serious. In this conversation about Jared’s soon-to-be-released book ... Show More
53m 33s
Oct 2024
Sunday Pick: The secret to success isn’t power – it’s status
Each Sunday, TED shares an episode of another podcast we think you'll love, handpicked for you… by us. Many people believe that success depends on gaining power, but it turns out that status is a more sustainable path to accomplishment and impact. In this episode of WorkLife with ... Show More
33m 47s
Aug 9
How to preserve your private life in the age of social media | Bryce Dallas Howard (re-release)
Growing up in the public eye, multi-hyphenate creator Bryce Dallas Howard experienced the familiar pressure to share her life with the world on social media. But with her mother's steadfast guidance, Howard learned to set personal boundaries and savor the beauty of private moment ... Show More
11m 28s